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Check Disk - chkdskHow to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista or Windows 7

This will show you how to use and run Check Disk or chkdsk at startup from within Vista, the command prompt, and the registry to check for corruption and possibly repair errors and bad sectors on the hard drive.

This will show you how to use and run Check Disk or chkdsk at startup from within Vista, the command prompt, and the registry to check for corruption and possibly repair errors and bad sectors on the hard drive.

How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista or Windows 7​

Information

This will show you how to use and run Check Disk or chkdsk at startup from within Vista, the command prompt, and the registry to check for corruption and possibly repair errors and bad sectors on the hard drive.

This will take about 20 minutes or so to finish, depending on how big your hard drive is. Do not stop chkdsk once it has started, let it finish. It could cause errors on your hard drive. When you restart to chkdsk, you will only have 10 seconds to press a key to cancel chkdsk. Check for a sticky keyboard key stuck down. It will cancel the chkdsk at startup.

NOTE:This method may not always run chkdsk when the computer restarts on some computers. I'm not sure why, but if this is your case, then you can do Method Two, Method Three, Method Four, or Method Five below.

1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. Click on the Computer button.​

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3. Right click on your hard drive and click on Properties.​

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4. Click on the Tools tab.​

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5. Click on Check Now under the Error checking section. (See circled in red below)​

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6. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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7. Make sure both options are checked. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE:The Automatically fix file system errors box will be checked by default.​

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8. Click on the Start button.​

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9. You will get a pop-up window saying, "Windows can't check this disk while it's use". (See screenshot below)​

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10. Click on the Schedule disk check button for chkdsk to run the next time you restart your computer.​

4. In the command prompt, type chkdsk or chkdsk C: followed by one or a combination of switches listed in steps 4A to 4D below and press Enter. See the screenshot below for all switch combinations.​

NOTE:If you want check disk to scan a drive other than the C: drive, then substitute the drive letter C: after chkdsk to the drive letter that you want.​

EX:chkdsk E:​

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Type One of these Commands to Run Chkdsk:​

NOTE:The most common command is chkdsk /f or chkdsk C: /f​

A) /f = The /f switch is the most common of the chkdsk switches. It tells chkdsk to try and fix any errors it finds. EX Type: chkdsk /f or chkdsk C: /f​

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NOTE:Answer Y when chkdsk asks you if you want to check the drive next time Vista boots (restarts).​

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B) /r = The /r switch tells chkdsk to attempt to recover any bad sectors of the hard drive if any are found. A bad sector is a spot on the hard drive that cannot hold saved data anymore. (See screenshot below)​

EX Type: chkdsk /r or chkdsk C: /r ​

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NOTE:Answer Y when chkdsk asks you if you want to check the drive next time Windows Vista boots.​

D) /c = The /c switch tells chkdsk to skip the checking of cycles within a folder structure which reduces the scan time.​

EX Type: chkdsk /c or chkdsk C: /c​

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NOTE:This will run immediately. ​

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5. Close the command prompt.​

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6. Restart the computer to run chkdsk at startup.​

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METHOD THREE

Using chkntfs and fsutil in a Command Prompt

NOTE:This will reset all drives to be checked at startup and mark a drive as dirty so chkdsk will run at startup for it. Chkdsk will mark the drive clean again after it runs. If chkdsk does not run at startup, then do step 5 only to mark the drive clean again.

NOTE:This will schedule the C: drive to be checked at boot time. If the drive is marked dirty, then chkdsk will run. If you want to schedule another drive letter to be checked, then substitute C: with the drive letter you want checked instead.​

I tried Method 3, and that didn't work. I also tried chkdsk C: /f and chkntfs /c C: with no avail. When I tried sfc /scannow, the scan began and got to the point: Verification 66% complete. Windows Resorces Protection could not perform the requested operation. I also tried chkdsk /i. The scan began the verification. During the verification 117,504 file records were processed, 6 segments were indicated to be corrupt. 93 large files were processed. It then stated: Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

My Computer

It sounds like you got some bad corruption problems there. If you do not only have a recovery Vista DVD or partition, then I would recommend doing a Repair install. This will allow you to repair your Vista installation and keep your user account files, settings, and programs.

Thanks for all your suggestions. My computer locked up in Safe Mode and I was not able to get back to Normal Mode. The only recourse I had was to reimage the hard drive. Everything is now back to normal. Fortunately I had a back-up of all my files. Thanks to all that offered suggestions.

New Member

I have tried all of these methods, and none of them have worked. The one that I thought would be best was the last one, it found a lot of errors but then I couldn't use the program. I found however it I attempt to uninstall it the company offers me a trial 30 day activation key. It might be nice to add that, however right now I still have not fixed my corrupt file which happens to be my C: Users / my_name
I have tried doing all methods, and when I tried to do it with my Vista DVD it gave me an error saying the files were unwritable or something and would not allow me to run the chkdsk. Any suggestions?

EDIT: The final method actually worked thanks =). I would suggest adding how to get the activation code, because some of us are kinda stupid and don't notice the obvious.

New Member

I tried Method 3, and that didn't work. I also tried chkdsk C: /f and chkntfs /c C: with no avail. When I tried sfc /scannow, the scan began and got to the point: Verification 66% complete. Windows Resorces Protection could not perform the requested operation. I also tried chkdsk /i. The scan began the verification. During the verification 117,504 file records were processed, 6 segments were indicated to be corrupt. 93 large files were processed. It then stated: Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

the same story is about me... i can't run chkdsk anyway, and can't create backup because of that, and... what did you tell about restore?
I've done that (after Vista was crashed all my user folders, and then when it was almost killed my laptop by automated update), no result...

what can i do?
sometimes vista says on startup, that one more folder is corrupt and unreadable, the only way to repair is to copy that folder from previously saved backup copy, but yesterday i've lost email database - with all passwords etc....
how can i repair the disk?

New Member

Hi Brink,
1. So far I have tried the registry entry change - no luck
2. I downloaded the file 6.0.6001.18000 and replaced Autochk.exe and tried to get chkdsk to run at startup - no luck ( the file on my computer was a originally a different size (627K and the date was 1/20/2008 as opposed to the file I downloaded 716K and 1/19/2008)
3. I ran sfc /scannow and I got the message that Windows found a corrupt file (CBS.log) and repaired it. then Chkdsk again and Jippie it WORKED!!
Thanks for all your help
Georgesvc

Banned

What about the "sfc /scannow/enter" method? Works while windows is running and can repair files. Use the dos prompt for this one. Typing sfc/enter in dos window will bring up a list of similar commands.

I'm sure you knew about this but I don't see it on your list of ways to do a file check.

New Member

Nothing is working. When I tried to defrag I received a message stating my disk is dirty and to run dsk check. Windows wont let it run when the disk is running and when I try to schedule an error check at restart, nothing happens. I cannot check disk or schedule a time for it to check. I tried your methods and nothing has worked. I was able to view the errors in admin mode, but the system said it could not finish in read only mode. What do I do? What is a dirty disk anyway?

New Member

"Windows resource protection found corrupt files, but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS log."

I tried running scndsk afterwards, but still nothing. The only time that scandisk works is when I run it through the cmd. I states that I have problems/errors, but it "cannot proceed in read-only mode"